Ciao and Hello everyone,I have not posted here since 2009, but recently discovered the name of a place in Sicily related to my family. My maternal great-grandparents were from a town in Sicily called Casteltermini. Ellis Island records for my great-grandmother and marriage records from here in the USA (New Jersey) confirm this. Naturally, I am now curious who came before them.

My great-grandmother's name was Vincenza Scarna, and she left Sicily via Naples with her mother Cologera (Scozzaro) Scarna -age 33- and siblings in 1916. Her father, Cologero, was already in NJ waiting for them.

Knowing the mother, Cologera (Scozzaro) Scarna was born in Casteltermini probbaly around 1883, I am wondering if there are marriage, Baptismal, and/or birth records for Casteltermini known to be online somewhere. Or, if anyone has had any experience researching genealogy from this town, I would appreciate any advice you could offer.

Yes, the Casteltermini records are now available online with an Ancestry subscription...They cover years 1866 - 1910.

To get you started - here is birth record for your grandmother, Vincenza Scarna Right side of page - Atti #295

Click once to enlarge, and again to magnify!

Translation (if you need it)

Record dated 21 June 1909 at 11:45 AM at the town hall in CastelterminiAppeared Calogero Scarna, 30, peasant farmer, to declare that at 8 AM on the 17th of the abovesaid month, at the house at Via Bellaone (sp?) - no number - to Calogera Scozzari, his wife, housewife, living with him, was born a female child who was presented to the official and given the name of Vincenza.Witnesses were Pietro Palumbo, 53, and Clemente (sp?) Ludovico, 30.

NOTE: there is an annnotation in the left column indicating the marriage of Calogera to Calogero Scarna on 18 January 1902

Top left of page

Translation:

Dated 15 July at 11:15 AM at the town hallAppeared Vincenzo Scozzaro, 52, laborer, residing in Casteltermini, to declare that at 6 AM on the 14th of the said month at the house on Via Convento (no number) to Crocifissa Liberto, his wife, seamstress, living with him, was born a female child who he presented to the official and to whom was given the name Calogera.Witnesses: Bonifacio LaRosa, 46, clerk; and Francesco De San???, 27, clerk

Marriage record of Calogero Scarna and Calogera Scozzaro#7Dated 18 January 1902 at 11:30 AM at the town hall in CastelterminiAppeared Calogero Scarna, 23, farmer, born and residing in Casteltermini, son of Paolino and of Vincenza Valenza, born and residing in Casteltermini;ANDCalogera Scozzaro, 19, housewife, born and residing in Casteltermini, daughter of deceased Vincenzo and of Crocifissa Liberto.Witnesses: Francesco Pizzuto, 42, clerk; and Vincenzo DeMarco, 42, clerk.

Born on 12 May 1906, presented to the official at the town hall on the 13th.Father: Calogero Scarna, 28, peasant farmerMother: Calogera Scozzaro, his wife, seamstress, living with himHouse at Via Bellavie(sp?)

Couldn't retrieve birth record of Crocifissa,the youngest child on the manifest of 1916 since the online records only go to 1910, and she was born around 1912.

Also have been looking for birth record of Calogero Scarna, born about 1879. Have checked indexes for 1877-1881, but not there. Will have to look at individual years ...

Holy cow!! I just hit the jackpot, it seems! The funny thing is I knew Palermo indexes were coming this year to Ancestry, but my 3-month trial from the software ended in March. Wow, that's funny!

I am amazed by what you've found, and thankful for the time you've taken to find it! I really appreciate this.

I am trying to reconcile differences in "facts". Here I go thinking out loud:

So, my first line of evidence was a photocopy from a marriage record book in a church in New Jersey, which stated Vincenza's marriage to Francesco San Germano (possibly born 1902 to Charles San Germano and Rosa De Carlo - funny enough though, the last name San Germano was translated literally from San to Saint and is written as St. Germano, haha). In this record, it lists both Vincenza and her new husband's places of birth as Casteltermini. How neat they are from the same place as kids - likely the parents knew each other? Anyway that was my clue of where in Sicily to consider. It also listed her Baptismal date and place as June 12, 1908. So I presumed she was born before this date. I then looked at my notes that I had transcribed from my grandmother (Vincenza's daughter) which said she was born June 12, 1906. 2 years to wait for a Baptism in Italy? Seemed unlikely to me. Its no wonder I didn't recognize the Ellis Island record at first, which places her age of 7 in 1916, meaning born in or around 1909. Odd difference in the year of birth (3 years), but the location Casteltemini is the same. It also shows the parents' names (Calogero & Calogera), which match those of the marriage record from NJ. Then we have the record you produced above, which shows a birth of June 12, but 1909 - not 1908 or 1906. So right date, but different year than on the marriage record from NJ or my grandmother's memory - yet it agrees with Ellis Island. It, too, contains Casteltermini and the parents names. So either this is all a huge coincidence with first and last names, OR, more likely, the record in NJ and my grandmother's memory are incorrect. I would guess that's the case. To be sure, my grandmother told me Vincenza's parents names were Charles Scarna and Charlotte (my grandmom's namesake) Scozzaro. Well, Calogero and Calogera seem close enough to Charles and Charlotte by my untrained eye, but maybe someone here can clarify. Just a case of "Americanizing" a name? In any case, I am waiting to hear from my grandmom on confirmaton of Vincenza's siblings names, hoping they match those names from Ellis Island. We will see. My ultimate guess is the information you provided me matches my great-grandmother, but its the American information (NJ record, grandmom's memory) that are mistaken. Hoping that's the case

Wow, I am reeling from this information - and scans of documents, no less! How cool! I didn't expect much of an answer, and so quickly - I am pleasantly surprised and thankful!

Follow-up - I think Calogero must have turned into Charles at one point, because Vincenza's husband, Francesco San Germano, had a father named "Charles", like Vincenza, according to my grandmom.

Searching Ellis Island for 'Francesco San Germano', I got one hit - from Casteltermini. The father is the relative from Italy and is listed as 'Calogero Sangermano'. So another example of a Calogero being a Charles, I think!

In my experience it is the "US record" of marriage, and death, that are often inaccurate. It is important to note that the day and date are correct... we see that often, with the year being off. And you are correct, it would be very unusual to have a baptism several years after the birth.

I also think you are correct is the "americanization" of Calogero and Calogera to Charles and Charlotte.

If you can give me an approx. date of birth for Francesco San Germano, I'll give it a look!

The record is dated 6 January 1900, and the child was born on 5th January.Father is Calogero, age 29, miner; and mother is Rosa DeCarlo, wife, seamstress.Birth occurred at the house on Via San Giuseppe (no number)...

Right side of image... Act #18

From what you told me about the marriage record, looks like Francesco's father's name was also "americanized" from Calogero to Charles.

Tessa,This has been absolutely amazing. I do not want to be mooching off of you or any others here, but I have to say this has really opened up some names and dates I did not have before. I am very appreciative - this is so great! Called my Grandmom up tonight to share some of the info with her and she can't wait to see it next time we visit. Thank you so much for this! And you say these were all easily accessible on Ancestry through the Palermo records?

Tessa,This has been absolutely amazing. I do not want to be mooching off of you or any others here, but I have to say this has really opened up some names and dates I did not have before. I am very appreciative - this is so great! Called my Grandmom up tonight to share some of the info with her and she can't wait to see it next time we visit. Thank you so much for this! And you say these were all easily accessible on Ancestry through the Palermo records?[/

I accessed the records with my world membership subscription to Ancestry.comThe Casteltermini records are in the Province of Agrigento, not Palermo.All the records are in Italian and are not database indexed as other Ancestry records are.You willl need to use the Indice (Index) for each year of the civil registrations - not all years are available. Records are alphabetical for this comune (town)After you find the person you are seeking in the indice (nascite "births", morti "deaths", or matrimoni "marriages") you will see the record number.Go to the year of births you need and look for that number...